by Laura Dower
Madison was always flabbergasted by the way Drew was able to have games and electronics and whatever else he wanted—and still act like a normal kid. He was a good friend, she told herself as they stood there on the lawn together. She didn’t always give him enough credit.
“There you are!” a voice yelled from across the lawn.
A girl with short, black hair ran toward Drew and Madison, arms flailing. She wore a pale yellow sundress and little butterfly barrettes in her hair.
“Drew! Drew!” the girl called out breathlessly.
Madison squinted at the girl. She’d never seen her before.
“I’ve been looking for you,” the girl continued. “I was helping your dad set up the karaoke machine. When do you want to start it up?”
“Whenever,” Drew said with a big smile. “Thanks for helping.”
Madison rocked from foot to foot, watching Drew, watching the girl, watching Drew.
“Maddie, this is Elaine Minami,” Drew said, finally. “Do you know her? Oh, well, I guess you wouldn’t. She’s our neighbor up the street.”
Madison knew that Drew was one of the only kids in his neighborhood who went to the public junior high. The rich kids who lived nearby went to private schools or even to boarding schools outside Far Hills.
“Hiya!” Elaine said. She had a voice like a cartoon mouse, Madison thought. Elaine didn’t talk. She squeaked.
Drew seemed to like it, though.
“It’s soooo great to meet all of Drew’s friends from school,” Elaine said. She couldn’t stop moving when she talked.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Madison said.
“Elaine, this is Maddie … er … Madison,” Drew said.
“Hey, Finnster!”
From behind Madison, the familiar sound of Hart’s voice sent a thrill up her spine. She’d looked for him everywhere, and now he was finally here.
Normally, she would have spun around and glanced to see what Hart was wearing, or how his soft, brown hair looked. But this time, she didn’t. Right now, all Madison could focus on was Elaine and Drew.
“Hiya, Hart!” Elaine chirped.
Madison couldn’t believe it. Elaine knew him, too? Within minutes, it seemed as if all the boys at the party were gravitating toward the section of the yard where Madison was standing with Drew, Hart, and Elaine. And Elaine knew all of them—including Fiona’s brother, Chet, and Madison’s good guy friend Dan Ginsburg.
How was that possible?
Aimee sidled up to Madison. “What’s up over here?” she asked. “Who’s she?” Aimee pointed to Elaine.
Madison explained; Aimee rolled her eyes.
“She probably knows everyone because she’s always hanging out here when the guys come over to Drew’s….” Aimee said with a groan. “Guys are so predictable. Look at them, like a bunch of flies or something….”
Madison chuckled. “Yeah,” she agreed.
“So, what?” Aimee continued. “Is she going out with Drew or what? I cannot believe he has a girlfriend!”
“I can’t tell,” Madison said, trying to figure out whether they were a couple or not. “She seems nice.”
“She isn’t very pretty,” Aimee said.
Madison fake-punched her BFF in the shoulder. “Don’t say that!”
Aimee took it back immediately. “Well, it doesn’t matter, anyway. What do we care who Drew likes? I mean, I thought he liked you for a while, but everyone changes.”
Madison frowned. “Yeah,” she said.
“I didn’t find Ben inside or by the pool or anywhere,” Aimee said, distractedly.
Madison kept staring over at Elaine, who seemed poised and happy. Why did Madison feel so much the opposite?
“Aimee! Maddie!” Fiona’s voice trilled from across the yard. She came running over, with Egg in tow. “What is everyone doing over here?” Fiona asked.
“Look,” Aimee said, nodding in Drew’s direction.
Madison always thought it was funny that Drew could be such a “follower” at school, but Mr. Party on days like this.
“This is so not a kid’s party,” Aimee grumbled. “I mean, it’s fun to come here and have music and swimming and games, but….”
Madison knew Aimee was right. People none of them knew strolled around in caftans and bikinis, carrying little glasses of pink-and-orange smoothies topped off with mini-umbrellas and chunks of pineapple. Mrs. Maxwell breezed from guest to guest, passing out leis.
“I don’t see you-know-who anywhere,” Fiona said with a raised eyebrow.
Madison knew exactly who Fiona was talking about.
Fiona was talking about Poison Ivy Daly, public enemy number one at Far Hills Junior High, and a permanent and annoying fixture in Madison’s life.
“I heard she went away to the beach,” Aimee said.
“Whew,” Madison said. “I hope it was a faraway beach. Did I tell you what happened when I ran into her in our neighborhood last month?”
“You saw her in our neighborhood?” Fiona asked.
“I think she was visiting Rose Thorn,” Madison grumbled. “I was walking Phinnie, and Ivy totally passed by me. She didn’t even say hello. None of the drones did, either. I heard them laughing at me.”
“Are you really surprised?” Aimee said.
“I wish I knew how to put a hex on Poison Ivy,” Madison said.
“You don’t really mean that!” Fiona said.
Madison smiled. “Oh, yes, I do. I’m sick of her and her perfect clothes and hair and I wish she would just … evaporate!”
The three BFFs laughed.
All at once, Aimee’s face lit up. “Look! Over there! I think that’s Ben! Over by that torch!” She dashed away.
“Aim?” Madison said to her departing friend’s back.
Fiona laughed, her voice mocking Aimee’s tone. “Oh, Ben! Ooooh! Over by that torch!”
“I didn’t know she liked him that much,” Madison said.
“I just can’t believe she acts that way around a boy …” Fiona said, still laughing.
Madison laughed, too. “What are you talking about, Fee?” she said, teasing her friend using Egg’s new nickname for her.
Fiona blushed. “I don’t act that way around Egg, do I?” she asked self-consciously.
Madison threw her arm around Fiona’s shoulder. “Nah, I was only kidding,” she said.
“How embarrassing,” Fiona said. “My dad told me that I act different whenever Egg comes over to hang with Chet. Do you think that’s true?”
“Your dad said that?” Madison said.
“Is that weird?” Fiona said with a shrug. “Daddy’s always asking me and Chet stuff about our friends—especially guy friends. He quizzes me all the time. I think he worries too much.”
“Yeah, my dad worries a lot, too,” Madison said.
“How’s your dad doing with the wedding?” Fiona replied. “Freaked out?”
Madison nodded. “Well, Dad’s always a little freaked out,” she said jokingly. “But I’m having dinner with him and Stephanie tonight.”
“That will be fun,” Fiona said. “Right?”
Madison shrugged. “Yeah, like going to the dentist.”
Fiona giggled. “Quit stressing about the wedding,” she said. “We promise we’ll help you get through it.”
Madison gave Fiona a big hug. They walked over to a throng of partygoers setting up for karaoke. Drew stood on a chair telling people where to go and what to do. Elaine helped out by handing out song lists to the crowd.
Madison ended up doing a karaoke song with Aimee, Fiona, and Elaine. They sang “Summer Nights” from Grease along with Drew, Egg, Chet, and Dan. Hart sat that one out, claiming a sudden attack of laryngitis.
Mrs. Gillespie didn’t come back to pick the girls up until after five. Madison worried that she wouldn’t have time to get home and get dressed for her dinner with Dad and Stephanie.
But she had plenty of time.
She even had extra time, to open a ne
w file.
Pairs
Rude Awakening: Usually it’s the bride and groom who get nervous before a wedding. How come I’m the one getting cold feet?
All the times Dad and Stephanie hung out with me before getting engaged, I was okay with it. But sooner than soon the two of them will be hitched forever and I’m NOT okay with that. Why is everyone pairing off around me? I’m not a third wheel. I’m more like a flat tire.
That’s even how I felt today at Drew’s pool party. Fiona paired off with Egg. Aimee paired off with Ben. Even Drew paired off with that girl Elaine. (P.S. where did she come from? Didn’t Aimee say that Drew liked me?)
The only good thing about the party was that I didn’t have to see Poison Ivy. She’s always hanging all over Hart. And even though he claims they’re only friends, it seems like more to me! She acts like he belongs to her. Ugh.
In a world of pairs, I’m living solo.
Chapter 4
MADISON CLUTCHED HER DINNER napkin tightly under the table.
Dad was sitting on the banquette, holding Stephanie’s shoulder. Her brown hair shimmered in the candlelight.
It was dinner for two. Except that Madison was there, too.
Stephanie turned and bent down to reach her bag. She pulled out a small, wrapped package.
“It’s for you,” she said, sliding it across the white tablecloth toward Madison.
“Me?” Madison asked, taking the package in her hands. She peeled off one corner of tape and lifted out a small, dark-green, leather-bound book.
“I had it monogrammed,” Stephanie said. She pointed to the front cover. There, in the corner, were Madison’s initials in beautiful script: MFF.
“What’s it for?” Madison asked, still a little bewildered about the gift. She looked down at the title: Love Poems for the Ages.
“What’s it for? Is that all you have to say, Maddie?” Dad asked.
“Oh,” Madison said. “I’m sorry. Thank you, Stephanie.”
“It’s actually a special gift for the wedding,” Stephanie explained. “You’ll see that one of the pages has been marked. That’s a sonnet your father and I picked out for the wedding. It’s by William Shakespeare. We’d like you to read it at the ceremony.”
Madison’s heart began to thump.
“You want me to read a poem by Shakespeare?” Madison said.
Stephanie grinned. “I know that you’ll do an excellent job.”
“I’m not really good in front of large groups,” Madison mumbled. “I get kind of nervous…. and sometimes I get all sweaty and …”
Madison bowed her head, embarrassed. Even though the sweaty part was true…. what had she said that for? It sounded gross.
“Oh, honey bear!” Dad chimed in. “You’ll be the best. I know it.”
“Come on, open the book,” Stephanie said.
Madison cracked the spine as she opened the front cover. The leather smelled new. On the inside front page, Madison saw some handwritten words:
For Madison Francesca
Bright light, shining star —
We love you.
Dad and Stephanie
She glanced up at Stephanie, whose eyes looked a little wet. It was if everything had slowed down to slow motion with fuzzy filters.
“Maddie,” Stephanie said. “I am so happy to be a part of your life.”
Madison looked over at Dad, but his eyes had also glazed over.
What was going on here? She felt as though she’d been shoved into the center of some late-night, T.V. melodrama.
This was too much of a love-fest even for Madison. Her stomach heaved. It felt hot inside the restaurant, and she was reeling from the smell of garlic at the next table. Of course, Madison wanted to be nice and polite about the poetry book Stephanie and Dad had given to her, but, at the same time, she wanted to run away.
Meanwhile, Dad and Stephanie intertwined their arms and leaned in toward Madison. Dad kissed Stephanie’s cheek, and she let out a little sigh. It was enough PDA (Public Display of Affection) to make anyone sick to her stomach, especially Madison.
Luckily, the waiter showed up with appetizers. Madison used the plates of salad as an excuse to set the leather-bound poetry book aside—at least for the moment. She didn’t want to get any salad dressing on it.
“Maddie, in addition to the poem, I wanted to ask you if you would … oh … How do I say this? Jeff, help me out here,” Stephanie stammered. She couldn’t spit out the words she needed most of all.
Dad smiled at his fiancée. “What Stephanie is trying to say, Maddie, is will you stand up for her at the wedding?”
Madison nodded. “I know, I just said I would stand up for her. I’ll read the poem. I assumed that I would be standing up to do it….”
“Oh, no!” Stephanie gasped, giggling a little in response. “I mean ‘stand up’ for me as a bridesmaid—as my junior maid of honor, actually.”
Madison could barely breathe. No words came out of her mouth.
“Maid of honor?” she finally said.
“My sister Wanda will be my matron of honor, but I thought it would be nice to have you right up there with us, too,” Stephanie added. “Jeff has his brother Rick as his best man, plus my nephew as junior best man.”
“Don’t I have to be older to stand up for you at the wedding?” Madison asked, her voice shaking a little bit. “I’m only in junior high, remember? I’m supposed to be a flower girl, aren’t I?”
“Actually, I think people can plan their weddings any way they want,” Dad said.
“And this is how we want it,” Stephanie said.
Madison felt a surge of emotion from her belly right up to her neck. She had more than a lump in her throat now. This was a brick.
“Just how many bridesmaids are you having?” Madison asked.
Stephanie turned to Dad. “How many is it, hon?” she asked him. “Six?”
Dad rolled his eyes. “Some small wedding,” he said with a little cough.
“Let me see…. I think there are fifteen girls and guys in the wedding party,” Stephanie explained. “That includes four bridesmaids, a junior maid of honor, a maid of honor, four groomsmen, a best man, and a junior best man. Plus two flower girls and a ring bearer.”
Madison’s head was spinning.
Fifteen?
The original number of guests—according to Dad—had been only fifteen or so.
“Wait. Stephanie, I’m confused.” Madison said. “I thought you and Dad said this was a small wedding?”
Dad’s face brightened up. “See, Stephanie? My point exactly!” he said.
Stephanie shushed him. “Don’t start again, Jeff,” she said sweetly.” It really isn’t that many people, Maddie. My mother just got a little carried away with the guest list.”
“A little carried away?” Dad teased. “Why don’t you tell Maddie how many people are on the guest list now?”
“Well, the party started at thirty or so guests. But now I’d say it’s up to a hundred. My mother likes to overdo it. Not to worry, though. I promise it won’t be much bigger. Really. This should be it.”
“A hundred people? Wow. Just how big is your house?” Madison asked.
Dad grinned. “Big.”
“Oh, Jeff,” Stephanie said, hitting him lightly on the arm. “He’s exaggerating. The house is not that big….”
“Yeah, but the ranch is,” Dad said.
“Well, you have friends coming, too,” Stephanie insisted.
“Yeah,” Dad replied. “Maybe five or six. What percentage is that of the total number, Stephanie?”
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
Madison stood back and watched as Dad and Stephanie bounced comments off each other as if they had been tossing a ball back and forth.
“Well, I don’t think having a lot of family is that bad. There always will be things to do and people to do them with,” Stephanie said. “Don’t you agree, Jeff?”
Stephanie nudged him with her
elbow.
“Oh, yeah,” Dad said, winking at Madison.
“Since you won’t have any cousins from your side of the family there, Maddie, you can spend time with some of my nieces and nephews who are just your age,” Stephanie went on. “Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
Madison pasted on a smile. “Fun,” she repeated. “What am I supposed to wear? I didn’t get a dress yet.”
“Since it’s such a rush, there are no specific dress requirements for the bridesmaids or maids of honor. I know your mother was planning to take you shopping….” Stephanie said.
Madison wrinkled her nose. How did Stephanie know about that?
Madison looked over at Dad.
“Your mother called me to find out if there was a color theme or anything,” Dad said, in response to Madison’s glare. “What do I know about color themes? So I asked her to speak to Stephanie directly.”
Madison pinched her finger hard to keep from yelping. How could Mom have spoken to Dad’s girlfriend and not said anything about it?
Stephanie spent the rest of the dinner telling Madison more details about how the ranch was being decorated and how it still really was just going to be a very simple ceremony with the closest friends and family. According to Stephanie, the day before the wedding would be relatively quiet and easy. Madison would have a chance to see some of Texas, go swimming, and just hang out at the hotel or the ranch.
It sounded okay, Madison decided, although she didn’t know what it would be like to spend so much time with such a gigantic family. As an only child, Madison hardly ever spent holidays or major events with a kid her own age.
This would be way different.
“Hey, Maddie, when you get the dress, just don’t pick out some super short outfit with lots of Big Bird feathers,” Dad cracked at the end of the meal.
Madison grinned. “Okay, Dad,” she shot back. “I guess I’ll return the yellow boa and my leather miniskirt.”
Stephanie chuckled and took a sip of wine. “Whew! I can’t believe the wedding is only days away.”
“Me neither, sweetheart,” Dad said, leaning in to kiss Stephanie’s cheek again. She cooed at him.
Once again, Madison was beamed out of the conversation and into the peanut gallery.